What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
06/20/2024 Filed for 10:30 IFR departure keka fot V27 eni sts sgd kapc. Remaining fuel 68 gallons equally distributed r and l tanks. Obtained telephone clearance departure by 10:27 from seattle center. Overcast approx. 800 feet. Immediate left hand turn 265 degrees direct FOT/V27. Cleared fog layer at approx. 1500 feet. Contacted seattle center 124.85 while passing thru 2300 feet. Was provided local altimeter setting and allowed to proceed as filed, climb and maintain 7000 feet. 30 seconds after this transmission was completed, there was a distinct change in the engine noise, irregular and some increased vibration. Within seconds the rpms started to slowly diminish. There was a mild drop in oil pressure however oil temp. Was normal. Within another 30 seconds, during which both magnettos were checked and switched fuel tanks. The engine seized/stopped completely including propellor. Pilot pitched for best glide speed (109 knots), announced an emergency and requested a suggested heading regarding terrain and private airstrip nearby (050 heading), almost a 180 degree turn. This all took place very near the fot VOR. Re-entered fog bank. Popped out about 700-750 feet just north of the large marshy wetlands/nature preserve. Turned r base and final to what looked like a smooth part of the marsh. Shut off fuel and electrical. Touched down softly but ground very soft and bumpy. Was able to slow to 30-40 knots. Nose wheel dug into a trench, immediately flipping the plane end over end, leaving the plane parallel to original course but belly up. No fumes, no fire. Was easily able to kick the window out of the pilot’s door and exit aircraft.
As the FAA filed it
06/20/2024 FILED FOR 10:30 IFR DEPARTURE KEKA FOT V27 ENI STS SGD KAPC. REMAINING FUEL 68 GALLONS EQUALLY DISTRIBUTED R AND L TANKS. OBTAINED TELEPHONE CLEARANCE DEPARTURE BY 10:27 FROM SEATTLE CENTER. OVERCAST APPROX. 800 FEET. IMMEDIATE LEFT HAND TURN 265 DEGREES DIRECT FOT/V27. CLEARED FOG LAYER AT APPROX. 1500 FEET. CONTACTED SEATTLE CENTER 124.85 WHILE PASSING THRU 2300 FEET. WAS PROVIDED LOCAL ALTIMETER SETTING AND ALLOWED TO PROCEED AS FILED, CLIMB AND MAINTAIN 7000 FEET. 30 SECONDS AFTER THIS TRANSMISSION WAS COMPLETED, THERE WAS A DISTINCT CHANGE IN THE ENGINE NOISE, IRREGULAR AND SOME INCREASED VIBRATION. WITHIN SECONDS THE RPMS STARTED TO SLOWLY DIMINISH. THERE WAS A MILD DROP IN OIL PRESSURE HOWEVER OIL TEMP. WAS NORMAL. WITHIN ANOTHER 30 SECONDS, DURING WHICH BOTH MAGNETTOS WERE CHECKED AND SWITCHED FUEL TANKS. THE ENGINE SEIZED/STOPPED COMPLETELY INCLUDING PROPELLOR. PILOT PITCHED FOR BEST GLIDE SPEED (109 KNOTS), ANNOUNCED AN EMERGENCY AND REQUESTED A SUGGESTED HEADING REGARDING TERRAIN AND PRIVATE AIRSTRIP NEARBY (050 HEADING), ALMOST A 180 DEGREE TURN. THIS ALL TOOK PLACE VERY NEAR THE FOT VOR. RE-ENTERED FOG BANK. POPPED OUT ABOUT 700-750 FEET JUST NORTH OF THE LARGE MARSHY WETLANDS/NATURE PRESERVE. TURNED R BASE AND FINAL TO WHAT LOOKED LIKE A SMOOTH PART OF THE MARSH. SHUT OFF FUEL AND ELECTRICAL. TOUCHED DOWN SOFTLY BUT GROUND VERY SOFT AND BUMPY. WAS ABLE TO SLOW TO 30-40 KNOTS. NOSE WHEEL DUG INTO A TRENCH, IMMEDIATELY FLIPPING THE PLANE END OVER END, LEAVING THE PLANE PARALLEL TO ORIGINAL COURSE BUT BELLY UP. NO FUMES, NO FIRE. WAS EASILY ABLE TO KICK THE WINDOW OUT OF THE PILOT’S DOOR AND EXIT AIRCRAFT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.